Refrigerator



Patented May 28, 1940 PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR John H. Ganzer, Duluth, Minn., assignor to The Coolerator Company, Duluth, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application October 14, 1939, Serial No.'299,454

1 Claim.

This invention relates to refrigerators and more particularly to traps for use in ice and other refrigerators wherein the refrigeration is effected by melting a refrigerating medium such as water ice and from which the liquid resulting from the melting of such medium is discharged through drain pipes or the like, and this invention primarily pertains to the mounting of traps in association with such drain pipes for the purpose of preventing the ingress of Warm air into the refrigerator through the drain pipes and the egress of cold air from the refrigerator through such pipes or the like.

The liquid resulting from the meltage of the refrigerating medium in Water ice and like refrigerators is collected in so-called drip pans mounted in the refrigerators below the medium in position to catch the liquid as its drips from the medium upon meltage thereof and such drip pans are usually arranged to embody a lead toward discharge pipes. It has been customary heretofore to insert such discharge pipes into the upper ends of so-called drain pipes which in turn led to traps provided in the refrigerator wherein liquid seals were established so as to prevent the aforesaid ingress and egress of air to and from the refrigerators. One arrangement that has been in common use has been to so connect the upper end` of such a drain pipe to the aforesaid discharge pipe of the drip pan and to so connect the lower end of the drain pipe to a suitable pipe supporting member on -the trap that the drain pipe was retained in position by such connections. However, since it is necessary that the trap and preferably also the drain pipe be so arranged that they may lbe expeditiously removed from the refrigerator to enable cleaning thereof from time to time as it may become necessary, 1t has been customary to establish the above described connection of the drain pipe to the discharge pipe and the trap in such a manner that disconnection of the drain pipe from the trap and the trap from the discharge pipe could be easily effected and the result of this has been that the drain pipe has been rather loosely supported in position and when dishes and the like have been inserted in the refrigerator in a careless manner in such a way as to contact the drain pipe the connection of the drain pipe to the trap has sometimes been broken with the result that the liquid resulting from the melting of the refrigerating medium was discharged into the food compartment of the refrigerator yrather than out through the trap and the discharge line therefrom.

Moreover, when a trap affording a liquid seal was arranged at the lower end of the drain pipe,

it was customarily positioned at the bottom of the refrigerator and as a result was somewhat inaccessible and because of this users of refrigerators sometimes would not remove and clean the trap 5 and drain pipe as often as should be done for proper and satisfactory operation of the refrigerator.

Still another objection to locating the trap in the lower wall ofthe refrigerator was that users y10 of refrigerators sometimes instead of removing the trap from the refrigerator merely opened it up in such a way that a quantity of water could be poured thereinto with the result that accumulation in the trap was washed into the discharge 15 line leading from the trap to the lower wall of the refrigerator where such accumulation from the trap frequently gathered sometimes to such an extent that the discharge line became plugged, this being primarily due to the fact that there 20 was insufficient hydrostatic head above such discharge line to dislodge whatever accumulation from the trap may have gathered in the discharge line, and the result of this was that liquid from the melting refrigerating medium would back up l5 through the trap and flow into the food compartment of the refrigerator in which compartment traps such as have been discussed hereinabove are customarily located.

Hence, in View of the foregoing and kindred 30 disadvantages and objections which have been encountered in refrigerators in which the trap affording a liquid seal `for preventing the ingress and egress of air to and from the refrigerated space within the refrigerator was located at the 35 bottom of a compartment in the refrigerator, it is among the objects of this invention to so locate a trap of the aforesaid character in such location in a refrigerated space within a refrigerator that it will be readily accessible; to so mount the drain 40 pipe provided in a refrigerator employing a meltable medium and through which liquid resulting from melting of the medium is to be discharged from the refrigerator that it will not be displaced by the engagement thereof by articles stored in the refrigerator or in other inadvertent ways; and to so interconnect such a trap and drain pipe with each other that inadvertent disconnection of one from the other will be avoided and an object ancillary to this is to insure that the trap and drain pipe will so be retained in liquid discharging position that liquid resulting from the melting of the refrigerating medium will be discharged from the refrigerator and thereby be 55 prevented from accumulating in the storage or other compartments in the refrigerator.

Further objects of the invention are to. establish a rm but disconnectible connection between the lower end of a drain pipe and the discharge line leading through the wall of the refrigerator through which liquid resulting from the meltage of a refrigerating medium is to be discharged; to otherwise firmly but detachably retain the drain pipe in operative position in the refrigerator; to mount a trap affording a liquid seal at the upper end of such drain pipe and in position to receive liquid from the discharge pipe leading from the drip pan of the refrigerator; to detachably connect the trap to the upper end of the drain pipe so that it may be expeditiously removed therefrom; and to so arrange the drain pipe and trap relative to other parts of the refrigerator that access may be readily had to such pipe and trap.

Yet further objects are to employ a trap having a transparent outer casing whereby the operative condition of the trap may be readily ascertained; to afford a resilient connection between the lower end of a drain pipe and the opening in the wall of the refrigerator through which liquid resulting from the melting of a refrigerating medium in the refrigerator is to be discharged so that leakage about such connection will be prevented and the drain pipe will be rmly but detachably retained in position; and to secure a member to which a drain pipe may be detachably connected to a wall of the refrigerator whereby a firmv but detachable retention for the drain pipe will be afforded.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and ciaims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view through a refrigerator embodying the drain pipe and trap arrangement of the present invention and which sectional view is taken through such drain pipe and trap arrangement and further which view is taken substantially on the line -E on Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional View through the refrigerator shown in Fig. 1 and taken substantially on the line 2 2 on Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary detail views taken substantially and respectively on the lines 3 3 and 4-4 on Fig. 1.

The refrigerator shown in the accompanying drawing is of the so-called underice circulation type of the kind shown, for example, in Frykdahl Patent No. 2,141,270 and which includes a lining generally indicated by L that is preferably surrounded by suitable insulation A that is enclosed by an outer casing (not shown).

The illustrated form of refrigerator includes an ice rack R that consists of a plurality of substantially U-shaped fins F that extend from front to rear in the refrigerator in spaced apart relation and which have the bights thereof faced upwardly whereby when a cake of ice C is rested on the upwardly disposed edges of such bights the fins, in effect, sink into the lower edge of the cake of ice to thereby define fins' of ice between the metallic fins F, and such ns of ice in cooperation with the fins F which are chilled by reason of contact thereof with the ice afford an effective cooling area that effectively cools air circulated thereover so that as such air circulates through a food or other storage compartment in a refrigerator such compartment is eciently refrigerated. A bracket B is secured to the rear wall RW of the lining L and carries a supporting shelf S on which the rear end of the ice rack R is supported, a somewhat similar support (not shown) being afforded for the front end of the rack R. A ledge D is provided below the rear end of the ice rack R and extends inwardly from the rear wall RW close to the rear ends of thc ns F and serves to collect drippage from the rear edge of the ice cake C and to insure discharge of such drippage into the upper drip pan UP. The drip pan UP is mounted below and in spaced relation with the lower edges of the fins F and the ledge D and a corresponding drippage collecting arrangement at the front of the refrigerator and extends from side to side in the refrigerator whereby drippage or liquid resulting from the meltage of the water ice cake C or the like is collected in the drip pan UP. A lower drip pan LP is mounted below and in spaced but slightly telescopic relation with the drip pan UP and serves to prevent condensation that collects on the lower surface of the drip pan UP, which is chilled by reason of the cool liquid collected therein, from falling into the food or storage compartment in the refrigerator below the lower drip pan LP. The drip pan UP preferably has a lead therein toward the discharge opening E which leads toward the discharge pipe or nozzle H that extends from the lower drip pan LP, the drip pan LP preferably embodying a lead toward the discharge pipe H. The drip pans UP and LP are, as is customary in the art, removably supported in the refrigerator so that they can be expeditiously removed for cleaning or the like when desired. The refrigerator also includes a lower wall LW which, like the wall RW, has insulation Aa disposed outwardly thereof, and an opening J Vis provided in the insulation Aa.

The structure which has thus far been described is merely exemplary of the type of refrigerator with which my invention may be used for as will be apparent from the following description, my invention is susceptible of use in any refrigerator or the like from which a liquid such as may result from the meltage of a meltable refrgerating medium is to be discharged and, therefore, the foregoing description is to be taken as merely typical of the environmrnent in which my invention is to be employed.

In accordance with my invention an opening 5 is provided in the lower wall LW in alignment with the opening J in the insulation Aa and preferably the marginal edges of such opening are bent-downwardly to afford a flange G. A sleeve or discharge line 1 isl provided that is extended through the opening J and which has an enlarged head 8, the upper marginal edges of which are bent into association with the flange 6 to thereby connect the sleeve 'I to the lower wall LW. While this is an advantageous arrangement for affording a discharge line, it is to be understood that resort might be had to other arrangements and in this connection it is to be noted that the purpose of the enlarged head 8 is to afford 75 Lil a connection for the lower end of the drain pipe 9.

In the present instance a gasket II) preferably of rubber or like material is firmly connected to the lower end of the drain pipe 9 and this gasket is preferably so constructed and sized that it may be tightly tted into a suitable receptacle such as is afforded by the head 8 in the present instance. Thus by reason of the tight connection of the gasket as I to the lower end of the drain pipe and the tight connection of such gasket in a receptacle as the head 8, a firm support for the lower end of the drain pipe 9 is afforded.

Preferably though not necessarily, the discharge pipe H and the opening J -are located substantially midway between the side walls (not shown) of the refrigerator but in any'event the arrangement is preferably such that the opening J and the discharge pipe H are in substantial vertical alignment.

In the present instance the drain pipe 9 includes an enlarged head II and also the drain pipe is preferably of such length that the upper end of the head I I will be spaced below the lower end of the discharge pipe as H, a more detailed description of such spacing being set forth hereinafter. In the present instance a-substantially U-shaped clip I2 (see Fig. 4) has the bight thereof rested against the inner surface of the rear wall RW and this portion of the clip I2 is connected to such wall as by rivets I3 or the like.

The clip I2 preferably embodies spaced apart limb portions which advantageously terminate in outwardly directed portions which extend from portions in the limbs of the clip I2 shaped to tightly embrace the drain pipe as 9. This arrangement facilitates insertion of the drain pipe into and detachment of such pipe from the clip I2. In installing the drain pipe, the gasket I 0 is preferably rst fitted into the seat as 8 and thereafter the pipe is passed into the clip I2. The attachment of the pipe 9 to a clip or other clamping device as I2 in cooperation with a firm retention of the lower end of the drain pipe as hereinabove explained affords a firm retention for f the drain pipe of such nature that it cannot be easily displaced when inadvertently struck by ar ticles being placed in or removed from the storage or food compartment of the refrigerator vertically through which it will be understood the drain pipe 9 extends.

The trap which affords the liquid seal that prevents ingress and egress of air to and from the refrigerator is generally indicated by I4 in the accompanying drawing and includes a substantially cup-shaped body I 5 preferably of glass or other transparent material and which is open at the top. An annular flange I6 preferably eX- tends upwardly from the lowervwall of the body I5 and another annular ange Il extends downwardly from such lower wall of the body and an opening I8 extends through the anges I6 and I'I and the lower wall of the body I5. A substantially hemispherically shaped member I9 preferably of thin sheet metal is mounted in the body I5 to rest on the bottom thereof with the dome thereof covering the opening I8, the edges of such member I9 resting on the bottom of the body I5 about the flange I6.

A gasket 29 is provided about the flange I1 adjacent the bottom of the body I5 and this gasket is preferably of resilient material and is sized to neatly t into the head II of the drain pipe 9. I-Ience when the flange I1 is inserted into the head I I, the trap I4 is firmly held in the upper end of the drain pipe 9.

Preferably the upper edge of the head II and the height of the body I5 are such that when the trap I4 is mounted on the drain pipe 9 substantially as shown in the accompanying drawing, the trap may be lifted upwardly and removed from the pipe 9 without interfering with the discharge pipe H which, it is to be understood, when the trap is in its operative position such as is shown in the accompanying drawing, is arranged in alignment with the open upper end of the body I5.

It will be understood that as liquid from a meltable refrigerating medium such as a cake of water ice supported on the ins F collects in the drip pan UP and flows through the opening E into the drip pan LP and out through the discharge pipe I-I, it flows into the body I5. Liquid which flows into the body I5 flows through the openings afforded by the cut-away portions 22 (see Fig. 3) along the lower edge 0f the member I9 and collects around the flange I6 and it will be understood that the openings afforded by the cut-away portions 22 lie below the upper edge of the flange I5. Thus the water which collects about the ange I6 prevents air from flowing into the refrigerator through the drain pipe 9, opening I8 and through the openings afforded by the cut-away portions 22. Of course when the liquid level tends to rise above the upper edge of the flange I6 it flows out through the opening I8 to be discharged through the pipe 9 and line 1.

It is to be understood that while I prefer to use a trap such as that which I have herein shown and described, other traps aifording a liquid seal may be employed for one of the important objects of my invention is to arrange such a trap at the upper end of a drain pipe so that access thereto may be readily had. With regard to this latter aspect of my invention, it should be noted that the pipe 9 is preferably so sized that when a trap as I4 is mounted at the upper end thereof such trap will be located above the shelf as K that is provided in the storage or food compartment of the refrigerator in such spaced relation withthe drip pan LP that articles customarily stored in a refrigerator may be placed therein. Such spacing of the shelf as K from the drip pan as LP is customary and well understood in the art but in any event it will be and should be such that access may be readily had to a trap as I4 at the upper end of a drain pipe as 9.

An important advantage of the present invention is that if the trap as I4 is removed from the drain pipe as 9 for cleaning or other purpose, then liquid discharged from the pipe or nozzle as H directly ows out through the drain pipe for such pipe and nozzle will be in alignment. This arrangement is in contradistinction to that to which resort has been had heretofore where removal of the drain pipe or trap frequently resulted in liquid flow from a pipe as I-I collecting in the food or storage compartment of the refrigerator.

It will be manifest from the foregoing description that the drain pipe and trap arrangement I have herein shown and described will attain the above set forth and kindred objects of this invention and that therefore the arrangement will be highly advantageous in a refrigerator and will avoid the difficulties and disadvantages also hereinabove set forth.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of Variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself cfsuch changes and alterations as fall within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

In a refrigerator or the like from which a liquid is to be discharged and wherein it is desired to prevent the ingress and egress of air thereinto and therefrom and which has a discharge spout through which such liquid is to flow, means providing an opening through which such liquid may be discharged from the refrigerator or the like and providing a seat about such opening, a drain pipe through which liquid may iiow to said opening, a resilient gasket at the lower end of said drain pipe and adapted to tightly fit said drain pipe and to tightly t in said seat when inserted thereinto to thereby iirmly but detachably connect said drain pipe in said seat, a substantially U-shaped clip secured to an upright wall of said refrigerator or the like and in which said drain pipe may be clamped to thereby support said drain pipe in substantially vertical position in said refrigerator, said opening and the seat thereabout and said clip being located in said refrigerator in alignment with said discharge spout whereby when said drain pipe is retained in said seat in said clip it will be arranged in alignment with said spout, said drain pipe when arranged in said seat in said clip being of such length as Vto terminate in spaced relation with the outlet end of said discharge spout, a transparent glass and substantially cup-shaped body having an, open upper end and having a flange projecting upwardly for a predetermined distance above the lower wall thereof and a flange pro* jecting downwardly from said lower wall and having an opening therein through said iianges and said lower wall, a member disposed in said cup-shaped body and having openings therein below the upper edge of the iiange projecting upwardly from said lower wall whereby liquid iowing into said body from said discharge spout will iow through the openings in said member and collect about said upwardly projecting angc to thereby afford a liquid seal to prevent the ingress and egress of air to and from said refrigerator or the like through said drain pipe, said flange projecting from the lower wall of said body being removably positioned within the upper end of said drain pipe whereby said body is supported at the upper end of said drain pipe and in position to receive liquid from said discharge spout, and a resilient gasket surrounding the downwardly projecting iiange and iitting within the upper end of the drain pipe.

JOHN H. GANZER. 

